NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Workaholic Keqing
"You, log in, fight to the death!" Gu Yue gritted her teeth, pointing straight at Lu Jingming to challenge him to a simulated duel—one that wouldn't end until one of them was dead.
Dying once in the simulation universe is a terrible experience.
"Huh?" Sensing Gu Yue's sudden flare-up, March 7, Firefly, Robin, and the others stared at her in confusion.
"Oh, sure." Lu Jingming agreed cheerfully. Gu Yue wasn't even a Soul King; where did she get the courage to challenge him?
"Hey, Xiao Ming, don't bully Gu Yue!" March 7 put her hands on her hips, glaring at Lu Jingming.
She didn't know why Gu Yue suddenly wanted to challenge him, but she knew Gu Yue couldn't win—she'd just be bullied again.
She also felt helpless about Gu Yue's stubbornness. Even knowing she can't win, she never gives up. Unlike herself, who just goes with the flow.
"March, don't worry. I'll make him see what I'm made of today!" Gu Yue pulled March 7 behind her, determined.
She didn't just want revenge for the two lost soul beasts, but also to better understand Lu Jingming's power through battle.
After two years as classmates, whether in simulated or real sparring, she'd never forced Lu Jingming to use his second martial soul—never seen both Destruction and Creation powers together.
She especially wanted to see his self-martial soul fusion skill, which she knew he'd mastered but never used. She suspected it was the perfect fusion of Destruction and Creation.
"Oh well, let her fight if she wants." March 7 felt helpless, already predicting Gu Yue would suffer for days. In real life, Lu Jingming would go easy, but in the simulation, he fought as hard as possible.
Whether against her, Firefly, Castorice, or Jinhsi, he never held back.
The only one he hadn't beaten in the simulation was Robin because she was a support and never fought solo.
Lu Jingming might be fierce in the simulation, but gentle in real life, always stopping at the right moment.
"Go easy, okay?"
Before logging into the simulation, Robin's gentle voice sounded in Lu Jingming's ear, and a faint fragrance wafted by. Before he could savor it, his spirit was transferred to the simulation universe.
"Let's make this quick!"
Scarlet lightning danced; two purple, two black, and one red soul ring gleamed. Spirit and soul power fused perfectly, and on the black spear, a destructive aura built up.
"Let's see!"
Gu Yue's face darkened, teeth gritted as elemental orbs of various colors spun wildly around her. Purple, purple, purple, black—her four soul rings shone.
In two years as an S-rank student, she'd gained lots of Honkai Energy through the holo-strategy, raising her first soul ring from a hundred to a thousand years.
Lu Jingming spun his spear nonchalantly. Gu Yue was no match even at the same level, let alone now when he was ahead.
But his expression changed as Gu Yue produced an incredibly ornate silver spear inlaid with jewels, the whole thing like silver dragon scales.
White Dragon Spear!
Lu Jingming winced—Gu Yue wasn't even pretending anymore, pulling out a divine weapon just to beat him.
This was Silver Dragon King's exclusive artifact, able to devour energy and life and power up Gu Yue's elemental control.
"Where'd you get that weapon? Looks nice," Lu Jingming asked.
"Inherited from my ancestors. Problem?" Gu Yue raised an eyebrow coolly.
"No problem!" Lu Jingming was speechless, but let it be. He picked up Black Abyss and charged in—he said he'd make it quick, and a divine weapon wouldn't change that.
For a while, the simulation rang with the clash of metal.
…
Ten minutes later, Lu Jingming removed the login device and sauntered out of the classroom under March 7's stare.
After he left, Gu Yue finally took off her device, her face pale, spirit depleted.
"You okay?" Robin's gentle voice reached Gu Yue, a formless force linking them, their spirits resonating. Gu Yue's fatigue from dying quickly dissipated.
"Thank you." Gu Yue nodded at Robin. No matter how many times, she found Robin's power amazing—resonant connection, harmony with all. In some ways, it was terrifying.
So Gu Yue never looked down on Robin as a support-type soul master; even the powerful Castorice, Firefly, and Jinhsi respected her.
…
Lu Jingming left St. Freya Academy, spotting Keqing holding Miko's pink-fox spirit from afar.
Sunlight outlined her hurried, busy figure.
"My dear Miss Keqing! Working overtime again?"
He hurried over, took the little fox, and looked at the tired Keqing with heartache.
"Since I took this job, I must be responsible for this city and its people. But you, as city lord, are too lazy," Keqing frowned, a bit displeased.
She didn't think she was doing anything wrong—instead, she thought Lu Jingming was too slack, always hanging out with girls when he could be working with her.
Lu Jingming felt helpless. He wanted to spend more time with Keqing, but she was always working or training, never giving him a chance to flirt.
Keqing was efficient and energetic, and her presence was everywhere in Haiyuan City. Tasks that would take two or three months, she'd finish in one.
Her subordinates had pleaded with her to reduce workloads but were always rejected.
Changli had no choice but to add more staff to ease the pressure.
Everyone in Haiyuan City knew that working under Keqing meant great pay and benefits—but only if you were ready for endless overtime.